Means for cleaning oil-wells



, (N0 Model.)

W GONNBLLY nlsalsms PoR GLBANINGOIL WELLS. No. 572,867.

Patented 1366.81896 UNITED Y STATES i PATENT OEEICE.

IVILLIAM CONNELLY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

MEANS FOR CLEANING OIL-WELLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 572,867', datedDecember 8, 1896.

Applica-H011 filed September 3, 1896. Serial No. 605,063. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM CONNELLY, of Toledo, county of Lucas, andState of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMeans for Cleaning OilWVells; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theiigures of reference marked thereon, which form part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to means for cleaning oil-wells, and has specialrelation to a mechanism for steaming the interior of the tubing and theexterior of the sucker-rods in order that paraffin, &c., depositedthereon maybecome disintegrated and not act as a hindrance to themovement of the sucker or polished rod within the tubing.

Heretofore in the branch o f the art to which this invention appertainswhen the suckerrod became gummed by a deposit of paraffin thereon itstuck to the tubing, requiring that it and the tubing be removed fromthe well in order that they may be cleaned. This operation is attendedwith expense and consumes considerable time.

My invention has for its object to overcome these difficulties; and itconsists in providing a central orifice through the polished and suckerrods which is in communication, by a suitable conduit, with the interiorof the tubing within the well, whereby steam can be forced into thetubing and around the suckerrod at any point desired.

The invention further consists in the coupling employed between twosections of the sucker-rod, which are in this invention necessarilytubular in cross-section.

The invention further consists in the parts as hereinafter shown,described, and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure lis an elevation of a portion of thetubing,polished rod,and suckerrod, illustrating a flexible hose incommunication with the interior of the polished rod and further detailsof construction embodied in inyinvention. Fig. 2 is a like View of aportion of the tubing, illustrating more particularly one of thecouplings for two sections of the sucker-rod and an exit-orice for steamtherevided with a bore 4, which extends upwardly to a pointsubstantially Inidway its length, at which point it communicates withthe exterior thereof through the medium of a plug 5, said plug beingadapted to receive the end of the steam-supply pipe 6, which may beeither a flexible pipe or a rigid pipe employing suitable swingingjoints. If desired, the polished rod may be provided with a central boreextending its entire length and coupled to the conduit at any pointalong its length. The lower end of the polished rod is enlarged, as at7, and internally screw-threaded.

i The sucker-rod sections are tubular in cross-section, being secured incoupling-sections 8 and 9, respectively. Oouplingsections 8 and 9 aresimilar in construction, with the exception that the coupling-section 8is provided with an annular exterior screwthreaded projection l0, whichfits within a like-formed recess within the section 9. Each section isprovided with a longitudinal bore which is inclined, as at ll, andIitting within the bore for a portion of its length are the ends of thetubing 2, the tubing being expanded and held within the inclined recessll by the plugs l2. The plugs 12 are provided with a longitudinalopening 13, which allows the passage of the steam through the couplinginto the adjacent section of suckerrod.

In view of the fact that the condition of the wells vary as regards thepresence of paraffin and that the character of paraffin varies indifferent localities, it is necessary to provide means for the exitofthe steam at different points, which I accomplish by providing anoriice 14, connecting with the bore 13 of one of the plugs l2 and theeXterior of the coupling-section, the lower coupling-section being`solid, whereby steam is ICO prevented from passing below the same. Allof the plugs vin keach of the coupling-sections above this point,however, are provided with a longitudinal opening 13. It will thus beseen that I have provided means whereby I may steam the interior of thetubing and the sucker-rod at `any-point along their length'communication with `a suitable supply ofv .steam and the boreof thepolished rod, coupylingvdevices between the same provided-with alongitudinal bore, .and an opening communicating with the bore and theexterior of the sucker-rod within the well.

2. In a means for cleaning oil-wells, a polished rod provided with alongitudinal bore, a hollow plug secured in the polished rod incommunicationwith a steam supply and with the bore :of the polished rod,tubular suckerrod sections secured together and to the polished rodthrough the medium of interposed couplings, said couplings beingprovided with a longitudinal bore in communication with the bore ofthe-polished-rod and suckerrod sections respectively, and an openingcommunicating with the bore and the exterior of the sucker-rod sectionswithin the well.

3. In a means for cleaning oil-wells, tubular sections of sucker-rodsand couplings interposed between the sections comprisingcoupling-sections, tapered plugs secured within the coupling-sectionsfor expanding and securing the ends of the sucker-rod sections withinthe coupling-sections, the plugs being provided with a longitudinalbore.

In testimony that I :claim the foregoing as my own I hereby aIiX mysignature in vpresence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM CONNELLY.

Vitnesses:

CARROLL J. WEBSTER, AUD SCHUMACHER

